


The Long Haul

by haldoor



Series: Overthinking [15]
Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Angst, Coming Out, Humor, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-07
Updated: 2012-06-07
Packaged: 2017-11-07 03:27:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/426427
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/haldoor/pseuds/haldoor
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><b>Warnings/Spoilers:</b> None for the show<br/><b>Disclaimer:</b> Still don't own them; still make no money.<br/><b>Beta:</b> As ever, uncorrected; feel free to point out errors<br/><b>Summary:</b> Steve tells Mary about him and Danny, and later, Danny unloads to Steve about Rachel.<br/></p>
            </blockquote>





	The Long Haul

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kaige68](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaige68/gifts).



> Part 15 (OMG! How'd I get so far already?) of the **Overthinking** series. Follows after Danny  & Grace leave Steve's in the last chapter.

After Danny and Grace leave, Steve feels at a loss. It's been a good weekend; one he's enjoyed a lot more than some in recent times, although last weekend with just him and Danny was great too. He thinks about Grace and how amazing she was about their relationship, and then wonders if maybe he should call Mary.

Mary knows about Steve – knows he doesn't always choose women to love – but he's still a little nervous at the thought of telling her about him and Danny. She'll be upset when she finds out if he doesn't soon though; like she isn't important enough to update on major happenings in his life. Since they've lost both parents, they're all they have these days, and he wants to keep things good between them.

He takes the cordless phone out on the lanai and settles into a chair with a beer beside him. "Hey Mary, it's me," he says when she answers. "How're things?"

"Pretty good," Mary answers, and launches into a story about her last flight and how some guy spent the whole time trying to convince her to fly to Vegas with him next week. He's grinning by the end of the story, pleased she's enjoying the job even if it is filled with guys like that who can't take no for an answer. Mary's plenty able to take care of herself on that score though, and Steve's not worried.

She asks him about work, and they talk about her coming to spend some time with him in a few weeks, then she asks, "So, tell me about your love-life?"

He swallows, his heartbeat increasing, though he knows she'll be fine with this. "I've been seeing Danny," he says without dressing it up.

"Oh my God!" she exclaims down the phone so loudly he has to move it away from his ear. "I _knew_ it; I just knew there was something between you two. 'Surfing buddies'," she laughs, recalling the last time she was here. "So that's what they're calling it now?"

He can't help the grin, but he shakes his head. "No, not then, we weren't. It's still pretty new, but..." He takes a breath, unsure how to describe what he's been feeling. It occurs to him again that he told Danny he loved him last night, and he gets a funny feeling in his gut. He's never done that before; not so soon, anyway.

"You're in love," Mary teases, "Oh, it's so cute! I can't wait to see you guys together. Oooh, maybe if that guy I met over there last month is free, we could double-date. Is he hot in the sack?"

"I'm so not telling you that," Steve says, his brow creasing in fear. The idea of them double-dating is freaky enough without discussing the sex.

"I bet he is; I bet he's really into it."

"Mary!" Steve lets out, embarrassed. She loves making him feel uncomfortable, but she doesn't usually get so carried away.

"Oh, come on; we're all adults! I thought he was married once? You know I never imagined he was into guys. But it's kinda hot knowing he is. I bet you flipped when you found out; I know you've had a thing for him."

"Mary, please..." Steve's feeling hot and he knows his face is flushed; he's just glad she can't see him. He had no idea she'd figured that out. "And as it happens, I'm his first."

"Oh. My. God." Mary sounds breathless. "Really? That is incredible. Mind you, you're kinda hot yourself; I bet plenty of straight guys would do you given the chance."

Steve's really not getting any more comfortable with this conversation, and it doesn't get any better when he sees Danny come around the corner of the house. "That really isn't something you should say to your brother, Mary." He smiles tightly at Danny, who stops dead at his words and looks at him strangely.

"Oh, you're no fun! Seriously, Steve, you shouldn't be so uptight about it. It's not like _I_ want to go to bed with you. But I'd be blind not to see that you're attractive, and I'm just saying I can understand why he'd jump the fence for you."

"Okay, thank you for that. It's gratifying to know that you think he probably just wants to-" He looks at Danny again and stops. Danny doesn't need to hear this. "Just a minute, Mare." He takes the phone away from his ear and covers it, hoping like hell he's not still blushing. "There's beer in the fridge, Danny. I'll just be a minute."

Danny nods at him thoughtfully, pursing his lips. "Okay, babe. Take your time."

He disappears inside and Steve takes a deep breath before going back to the conversation with Mary. "He didn't jump the fence for me," he whispers harshly. "He's _looked_ before, but not touched, that's all."

Steve can almost hear Mary's eyebrow raise. "And that's not jumping the fence for you?"

"Whatever. Listen, Mary, it's been great talking to you, but I'm gonna go now, before you ask me something I really don't want to answer."

She laughs. "When do you ever answer the fun questions? Just... be careful Steve, and above all, _enjoy_ it, okay? I know you; you'll make it harder than it has to be. Danny's a great guy; try not to drive him away, huh?"

Steve quirks a lip, though the words hit home; he's been worried about the very same thing. "I'll try not to. Thank you for the confidence."

"Steven J. McGarrett, I have every confidence in you. Now, go be with him. Shoo!"

"Thanks, Mary." He means it despite his fears, and he knows she means what she says too. "Bye."

She repeats the final word and they hang up. He gets out of the chair and turns to see Danny leaning against the doorjamb, beer in hand. He feels another blush rising and smiles uneasily, worried how much Danny has understood from anything he might have heard.

"Hey, thought you were going home after you dropped off Gracie?" he asks, moving close enough to kiss Danny.

" _Was_ being the operative word." Danny lifts his eyebrows and nods at the phone. "So that was Mary? You told her?"

Steve smiles, nodding. "Yeah. I should probably have already mentioned it when we spoke last weekend, but…" He waggles a hand; it's obvious he'd be cautious, no matter how understanding Mary is, and he knows Danny will understand.

"So what shouldn't she be saying to her brother?" Danny asks, his eyes crinkling delightfully as they head inside.

Steve swallows some beer, looking away so he doesn't have to feel so embarrassed. "Oh, you know Mary; she was just kidding around about guys going with guys."

Danny snorts a laugh as he plonks himself down on the couch and Steve eases into place next to him. "You mean she was talking positions or something?"

"Uh… something like that," Steve evades, swigging from his bottle. He frowns at the thoughtful look on Danny's face and puts his beer down, taking Danny's out of his hand too and placing it next to his on the coffee table. He turns slightly, one leg up, so he can put an arm along the back of the couch behind Danny and rest his other hand on Danny's thigh. "So, what happened when you dropped Grace off?"

Danny looks at him in surprise. "How do you know something happened?"

Steve shrugs, creasing his brow in worry. Obviously something happened or Danny wouldn't be back here so soon. "Rachel say something?"

"I told her about us. She wasn't exactly thrilled."

Steve isn't sure he understands that right; he hadn't expected intolerance from her, even if she does still have feelings for Danny. His frown deepens but he waits for Danny to speak again.

"Grace told her we spent the weekend here. I had to tell her that Grace knows about us, and I made the mistake of mentioning how she saw us kissing first. Of course Rachel had to jump to conclusions and assume we slept together…"

"We did sleep together." Steve can't help throwing that in, hoping it's light-hearted enough to ease some tension, but as soon as he says it he knows it's wrong.

Danny starts gesturing, obviously bothered by the way he's left things with Rachel, and there's no surprise there. "Look, it's not even about us being… together… that Rachel is so upset about, but the idea that Grace might have seen us; that I wasn't being careful enough about exposing her to things she's not 'ready' for…" He uses air quotes on the word. "Well, she wasn't happy about that. That she'd even think I would make love to you in your bed while Grace was here too so early on… it's nuts! Anyway, you kidding about us sleeping together is _not_ helping my peace of mind, Steven."

"I'm sorry," Steve says, contrite. He knows Danny's seriously worried about their custody arrangement; he'd hate to contribute to Rachel's decision to give Danny even less time with his daughter.

"You didn't tell her we slept on the couch together, did you? I can't imagine she'd think that was any better."

"No, I did not tell her. And for once in my life I am actually glad you're an even earlier riser than Grace so there was nothing for her to tell her mother. It's the only reason I let you stay with me."

Steve can't help the way his face falls. His heart sinks at the same rate, though he knows Danny doesn't mean anything by it. He can't do; last night seemed as important to him as it had been to Steve. He shifts away from Danny, trying not to act like a child and failing.

"Babe, babe… come here, you big lunk. Oh for Christ's sake! See what you do to me, Rachel?" Danny gestures at no-one and grabs Steve's nearest wrist, pulling him back to face himself. "I did not mean that the way it sounded. Last night… I wouldn't have swapped that for anything, cramped and uncomfortable as your couch is for two people, okay? Come here," he repeats, pulling Steve close enough to kiss, and placing Steve's hand that he's still holding around his hip.

Steve sighs into Danny's mouth, his relief growing as the kiss turns hot and needy. It's not long before he can barely breathe, but he hardly cares.

"There, see?" Danny offers. "Rachel may worry that what she and I had was a lie, but I don't want you to believe anything like it – ever."

Steve's confused for a second and pulls away, his desire ebbing. "She thinks your marriage was a lie?" He thinks about that for a second, and goes on before Danny can jump in. "Because of us? Because you're with a _man_ now?"

"That's about the sum of it," Danny concurs, nodding. "Of course I told her it's not true; that you're the first guy I've had any kind of serious interest in, and she said she believes me, but…"

"You're not so sure?"

Danny shrugs and sighs, running a hand across his perfectly smooth hair. "I don't know. I guess it's weird for her." He snorts a laugh. "It's still pretty weird for me. Did you ever have that from a woman? How did Catherine deal with it when she found out you liked men?"

Steve shakes his head; it's new for him because he's never actually had any relationships with women apart from Catherine, although he knows his bisexuality was a killer for some of them before things ever progressed beyond the first couple of dates. He was always honest upfront, and maybe that was his downfall. "She already knew when we got together; it was never an issue."

Danny raises an eyebrow, looking surprised. "Wow, that was pretty broadminded of her."

"Yeah, actually, it was. It's half the reason we gave it a shot. Most people – women mainly, in my experience anyway – assume that a guy like me is gonna leave them for a man, or at the very least sneak around with them behind her back. Catherine was different, though." He smiles into space, remembering how very close they came to marriage.

"Really?" Danny asks, half-smiling at Steve. He hopes his expression isn't as dreamy as Danny's making it seem. "A lot of women feel that way, huh? What about the guys?"

"Yeah, they do seem to. Some of the men too – that either I'm never going to take the relationship seriously because I want to have my cake and eat it too, or else they think I'm bound to leave them for a woman. It's the easier thing, apparently."

Danny's got this strange expression on his face now, like it's not something he's ever had to consider, and why should he have done? He's never been caught up in that world before, and Steve frowns at the thought of dragging him into something he hasn't fully thought through. What happens if one of them does find a woman attractive in the future? Will it be any different for them just because they're both bisexual?

"You don't think that, do you?" Steve can't help asking. "I mean… you're not gay, so maybe it's different."

"You've never been with another guy who went both ways, have you?" Danny asks, like it's just occurred to him.

"Actually, I have, but it was just sex, so there wasn't a lot of talking."

Danny shakes his head and snorts.

"What? You telling me you never had sex with a woman without conversation?" Steve gives Danny an incredulous look.

"Well, okay… when you put it like that, I guess, yeah," Danny agrees, smiling more naturally. "And Steve?"

"Yeah?" Steve turns to look at Danny properly again.

"I won't ever assume you're going to leave me for a woman… or a man, either for that matter. As far as I see it, maybe things won't always be perfect with us – like they ever could be with your mad ninja antics and-"

"Your obsessive need to analyze and criticize everything I do," Steve interrupts with a grin, liking the way this conversation is heading.

Danny concedes with a sweep of a hand, and then continues as if Steve had never spoken, "your inability to sleep past 5 AM on a good day-"

Steve wraps a hand around the back of Danny's neck and interrupts again, "and your inability to dress casually unless I chose the outfit-"

Danny's grin couldn't be wider. "And your need to always have the last word-"

Steve swoops in for a kiss, squeezing in a few last words before their lips connect: "and your inability to shut up until I kiss you speechless." And then proceeds to prove the point.

Danny doesn't need to finish the thought he began so many minutes ago; it's obvious to Steve that he's in this for the long haul; and Steve hardly needs to say that he feels exactly the same.

~//~


End file.
